Apparatus for converting textile staple fibers to carded sliver and feeding such a sliver in cans

ABSTRACT

APPARATUS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF HORIZONTAL TUBULAR CONTAINERS INTO WHICH A SLIVER OF TEXTILE FIBERS FROM A MULTIPLE FEEDING CARDING MACHINE IS DISTRIBUTED BY A ROTATING HEAD. THE APPARATUS ALSO COMPRISES A CONVEYOR BELT ON WHICH METERED AMOUNTS OF TEXTILE STAPLE FIBERS ARE LOADED, SUCH FIBERS BEING DRAWN THEREFROM AND SUPPLIED TO THE CARDING MACHINE BY A PNEUMATIC CONVEYING DEVICE.

March 9', 1971 A. MARINONI 3, APPARATUS EOR CONVERTING TEXTILE STAPLE FIBERS TO CARDED SLIVER AND FEEDING SUCH A SLIVER IN CANS Filed Oct. 29, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR mew MAR/Mom BY 1 v ATTRNEYS March 9, 1971 A. MARINONI 3,568,257

APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING TEXTILE STAPLE FIBERS TO CARDED I SLIVER AND FEEDING SUCH A SLIVER IN CANS Filed Oct. 29, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 44 471 0 M/l/F/W/V/ A TO NEY March 9, 1971 I I A. MARINONI v 3,568,257

APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING' TEXTILE STAPLE FIBERS TO CARDED SLIVER AND FEEDING SUCH A SLIVER IN CANS Filed Oct. 29, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet S INVENTOR Mam MAM/0W BY v iaze,

ATTORNEY J March 9, 1971 'A MAR|NQN[ 3,568,257

APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING TEXTILE STAPLE FIBERS TO CARDED SLIVER AND FEEDING SUCH A SLIVER IN CANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Filed OCt. 29, 1968 $9.11 W WW5 INVENTOR M551 M/I/P/A W/ 31mm ATTORNEY g United States Patent APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING TEXTILE STAPLE FIBERS TO CARDED SLIVER AND FEEDING SUCH A SLIVER IN CANS Angelo Marinoni, Via Michelangelo da Caravaggio 17,

Bergamo, Italy Filed Oct. 29, 1968, Ser. No. 771,562 Claims priority, application Italy, Nov. 6, 1967, 1,338/67; Oct. 7, 1968, 1,340/68 Int. Cl. D01g 15/40 US. Cl. 19-150 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus comprising a plurality of horizontal tubular containers into which a sliver of textile fibers from a multiple feeding carding machine is distributed by a rotating head.

The apparatus also comprises a conveyor belt on which metered amounts of textile staple fibers are loaded, such fibers being drawn therefrom and supplied to the carding machine by a pneumatic conveying device.

This invention relates to an apparatus for converting textile staple fibers to carded sliver and can-feeding such a sliver.

As *well known, up-to-date industrial production requirement-s demand that the subsequent operative steps consisting of feeding textile staple fibers to a carding machine, carding of such fibers and conversion thereof to carded sliver, and collecting said carded sliver within cans, be as far as possible effected in a continuous and automatic manner and with an hourly output as largest as possible.

Known plants are found to exhibit significant drawbacks due either to mechanical feeding of textile staple fibers to the carding machine and thus through cumbersome devices readily subjected to failures, or in that the staple fiber fed to the carding machine will carry along the dust in said textile fibers unless complex sucking systems be provided, and finally in that the distribution for the sliver from the carding machine is accomplished in cans which, when filled, are carried near the sliver utilizing machine and replaced by further cans for collecting the sliver from the carding machine. A further drawback is that can distribution for the sliver from the carding machine is not satisfactorily accomplished since said sliver will not fully occupy the space or room internally of the cans.

It is an object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus wherein the textile staple fiber are pneumatically conveyed to the carding machine, more particularly the textile fibers being lifted and carried by a sucked air stream having also the important function of removing the dust carried by the textile fibers.

It is another object to provide an apparatus comprising a multiple feeding card, to which the textile fibers are conveyed in a simultaneous and automatic manner after being drawn and pneumatically carried a plurality of supply belts on which the textile staple fiber is automatically loaded in predetermined amounts.

It is still another object to provide an apparatus including a plurality of sliver cans horizontally arranged on a stationary frame, from which cans said sliver can be simultaneously drawn for use by one or more sliver utilizing machines, and within each of which the sliver can be compacted at intervels by a conveyor device for introducing the sliver into each can in an arrangement enabling the full exploitation of the space or room within the can.

It is still another object to provide such a machine of a comparatively low manufacture cost, the structure and operation of which are simple and require a minimal labour when operating.

These and other objects are attained by an apparatus comprising a multiple feeding carding machine, a supply conveyor belt, a device for loading controlled amounts of textile staple fibers on said conveyor belt, a plurality of channels, each of which has one end adjacent one end of said belt and another end adjacent a pair of rollers situated side-by-side and rotating in opposite directions, means for causing an air vacuum or depression at said pair of rollers in front of the adjoining end of said channel, means connecting each pair of said rollers to a card supply for continuously transferring a roving or web of textile fibers exiting from said pair of rollers to the carding machine, a plurality of substantially horizontal tubular cans, and a device for continuously twisting, as a sliver, a web of textile fibers exiting from the carding machine and selectively distributing it within one of said cans.

More particularly, the device for continuously twisting, as a sliver, the textile fiber web exiting from the carding machine comprises a rigid frame, a pair of small rollers in a side-by-side arrangement to each other and freely rotatable on rigid bearings, means for rotatably driving said small rollers on said bearings in an opposite direction, and means for imparting a planar movement to the small roller bearings on said rigid frame.

Preferably, each roller in the first mentioned roller pairs adjacent the channels comprises a cylindrical wall, holes being formed therein, and said means for causing air vacuum or depression comprise an aspirator, the intake inlet of which is connected with the inside of said cylindrical wall through at least one conduit.

In order that the structure and features of the apparatus be more clearly understood, some embodiments thereof will now be described by way of example and not of limitation, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevational view of the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective and partially sectional view of that portion of the apparatus feeding the textile fibers to the actual carding machine;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing a detail of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are a fragmentary sectional view on one side and a perspective view on the other side, respectively, of the device for twisting the textile fiber web exiting from the carding machine;

FIG. 6 is a perspective, partially sectional view of the apparatus at the end of the tubular cans facing the device for twisting the textile fiber web exiting from the carding machine;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross-section showing an embodiment different from that of FIGS. 4 and 5 of a device for twisting the textile fiber web exiting from the carding machine;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the supply conveyor belt on which the textile fibers are loaded for feeding to the carding machine; and

FIGS. 9-12 are schematic front views of the conveyor belt in FIG. 8 at different subsequent loading steps of the textile fibers on different portions of said conveyor belt.

The apparatus, schematically shown as a whole in FIG. 1, comprises four sections sequentially arranged, that is: a section 1 comprising a multiple feeding carding machine; a section 2 continuously conveying the textile staple fibers to the various card supplies; a section 3 continuously twisting, as a sliver, the textile fiber web exiting from carding machine 1, and a section 4 comprising a plurality of tubular cans carried on stationary frames and in which the sliver from section 3 is distributed, said sliver then being drawn by the cans to be supplied for further utilization or further processing.

The multiple feeding carding machine forming the section designated by reference numeral 1 is of a per se known structure, so that for reasons of simplicity and brevity it will not be described in detail herein; in section 1 of the apparatus, the rollers and drums forming part of the carding machine have been schematically shown.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a fragmentary view is shown therein for that section of the apparatus designated in FIG. 1 by reference numeral 2. Section 2 of the apparatus comprises a supply conveyor belt 5 formed of a single belt or a plurality of belts side-by-side and rotatably operated, in the direction shown by the arrow, by a motor not shown in the drawing.

Above the belt, there extend a plurality of vertical walls 6 parallel to one another and supported by a stationary support, not shown in the figure for sake of simplicity. Above said belt 5 and walls 6 there is provided a device, still for sake of simplicity not shown in the figure, comprising for example a balance loading'means of a well known type in the art which will unload onto belt 5 and at given intervals between each of said walls 6 predetermined amounts of textile fiber staple, so that between walls 6 there is always an amount of textile staple fibers on belt 5 during apparatus operation.

At the left end of belt 5 (FIG. 2) and above said belt there is located a rotating roller 7, in front of which and at the underside end of belt 5 there is placed a plurality of channels 8, said end of each channel extending in width between two adjoining walls 6.

The other end of each channel 8 is adjacent a pair of rollers side-by-side arranged and rotating in a reverse direction to each other, each roller in the pair of rollers comprising a cylindrical wall 9 (see the enlarged detail of FIG. 3) in which holes have been formed and also comprising a stationary shaft 10 on which said wall 9 is freely rotatably carried about its own axis and with which said wall 9 forms a gap clearly seen in FIG. 3. Each shaft 10 is internally hollow and end-closed. Rollers 9 in each pair of rollers are rotatably interconnected in the direction shown by the arrows in FIG. 3 by a power operated kinematic arrangement not shown in the figures for sake of simplicity.

Two conduits 11 are arranged on either sides of each channel 8, one end of these conduits communicating with the interior of a chamber 12 which through a conduit 13 is connected to the intake inlet of a usual type of aspirator not shown in the figures for sake of simplicity.

The other end of each conduit 11 is adjacent the surface of the cylindrical walls 9 of each pair of rollers (FIG. 3), at regions of walls 9 in which holes are formed; in the wall of each of shafts 10, a longitudinal aperture 14 is provided, said aperture 14 extending on said shaft between the adjoining ends of the two conduits 11 adjacent thereto.

During apparatus operation, the aspirator via conduit 13, chamber 12 and conduits 11 will suck-in air from the gap between each cylindrical wall 9 and related shaft 10 and from here, through the holes of cylindrical walls 9, causes a depression and suction in front of the end of channel 8 opposite the pair of rollers. Thus, the textile staple fibers are transported by belt 5; displaced along channels 8 and sucked against said cylindrical walls 9 pressing them to form a web which is laid down on the inclined bottom surface of a conduit 15, from which said web is delivered to a supply for carding machine 1. Obviously, in front of each pair of rollers there is a conduit 15 and said longitudinal aperture 14 of shafts 10 is provided for minimizing the head or load losses of the air stream being sucked in front of said channels 8. An air suction also occurs through all the other holes of cylindrical Walls 9 and through the ends of the gap between cylinders 9 and shafts 10, this suction and that exerted at front of channels 8 having the significant function of removing from the environment the dusts and small solid particles in the textile fibers loaded on belt 5, so that a nearly dust-free web of textile fibers can be supplied to the carding machine through conduits 15, which web after carding will exit from the carding machine 1 as a carded web passing through two rotating rollers 16 (FIG. 1) and converted to a web or roving 17 by apparatus section 3 as hereinafter described.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 4 and 5, showing two fragmentary perspective views of the device comprising the apparatus section 3 continuously twisting, as a sliver, a textile fiber web exiting from the carding machine and selectively distributing it into one of the cans making up the apparatus section 4. The'device comprises a stationary frame 18 and a tubular'body 19 extending from frame 18 to one of the tubular cans.

Particular reference is now made to FIG. 4, showing the interior of the stationary frame 18 carrying thereon a rigid structure 20 formed of a circular metal plate mounted on bearings, on which said plate can freely rotate.

On plate 20 there is secured a first gear ring 21 freely rotatable about its own axis, the rigid supports for a pair of small rollers 22 are secured, said small rollers 22. being side-by-side and freely rotatable on said supports, and there is also mounted a gearwheel 23 kinematically rotatably connected with the pair of small rollers 22, as clearly shown in the figure.

Through bars 24, a second gear ring 25 is mounted on said stationary frame 18, said second gear ring 25 being coaxial to gear ring 21 and meshing with gearwheel 23. Frame 18 also carries a shaft 26, driven about its own axis through a gearwheel 27 driven by a motor or directly by the carding machine 1 by means of a chain or belt 28, on said shaft 26 there being mounted a gear 29 meshing with a gearwheel 3t} transmitting the continuous rotary motion from shaft 26 to gear ring 21.

During apparatus operation, gear ring 21 will continuously rotate about its own axis, small rollers 22 also rotating thereabout and between which the sliver or roving 17 is nipped, thus being twisted in the length between said small rollers 22 and pair of rollers 16. The shaft of gearwheel 23 also rotates about the axis of gear ring 21, said gearwheel 23 meshing with fixed gear ring 25, so that gearwheel 23 is caused to rotate also about its own axis rotating in a reverse direction said small rollers 22 through the above described kinematic arrangement, rotation of small rollers 22 about their own axes causing the feeding of said sliver or roving 17 which is caused to exit through a hole in plate 20 and collected within said tubular body 19, the end of which facing said frame 18, i.e. the pair of small rollers 22, is of a larger diameter than that of the circle travelled by the pair of small rollers in their circular movement about the axis of said gear ring 21.

The end of tubular body 19 adjacent frame 18 is fast with a ring nut 31 (FIG. 5 which is freely rotatably supported through ball or roller bearings by a cross member from which two arms 32 extend, on the ends of which two pins 33 parallel to each other are mounted, two slides 34 freely rotatable about the axis of pins 33' being mounted thereon and movable on two guides 35 fast with two shafts 36 parallel to each other and freely rotatable on frame 18, two gearwheels 37 being fast with said shafts 36 and rotatably driven by shaft 26 through worms 38, gearwheels 39 and 40 and chains or belts 41.

Slides 34 are freely movable on guides 35, but cannot exit therefrom owing to suitable pawls or catches provided on the guides and limiting the movements of slides 34.

Spacing between the axes of shafts 36 is somewhat larger than spacing between pins 33. During apparatus operation, the rotation of shafts 36 will cause said slides 34 to be moved on the guides and, as a result, will determine an undulation for arms 32 and, accordingly, said tubular body will undulate in front of stationary frame 18, while the end of tubular body 19 is always positioned in front of the hole from which said sliver 17 exists as urged by small rollers 22. As a result, the twisted sliver or roving being urged out of frame 18 by said small rollers 22 is distributed within tubular body 19 so as to completely fill the inner space thereof.

Reference is now made to FIGS. and 6. FIG. 5 schematically shows on one side that portion of apparatus section 4 which is close to tubular body 19, while FIG. 6 is a partial sectional and detailed view on the other side thereof.

Apparatus section 4 comprises six tubular cans 42, horizontal and parallel to one another, fast with a stationary frame 43, the centers of the free ends of cans 42 being uniformly distributed on a circle, the axis of which is coincident with the axis of a shaft 44 (FIG. 6), freely rotatably mounted on frame 43 and carrying a rotatable plate 45 on which there is mounted that end of tubular body 19 facing the cans 42, the end of tubular body 19 being positioned in front of one of said cans.

A support member 46 is fast with said stationary frame 43 and carries a motor 47 and a reduction gear 48 from which a shaft 49 projects, the end of said shaft 49 facing the plate 45 carries a circular disc 50 from the periphery of which a cylindrical wall 51 extends, a block 52 being fast with disc 50*. Disc 50 is mounted on shaft 49 with the axis of shaft 49 spaced from the center of disc 50.

Six spokes 53 parallel to one another are fast with said plate 45, a drag member comprising said wall 51 and block 52 sequentially engaging said spokes 53.

Assume that during apparatus operation the sections 3 and 4 of the apparatus are positioned as shown in FIG. 6, reference being now made to this figure. Under these conditions, sliver 17 as urged into the tubular body 19 by the pair of small rollers 22 will be forced to enter that tubular can the end of which is adjacent the end of body 19. When the desired amount of sliver 17 has entered this tubular can 42, the amount being determined by a per se known device counting the rate of sliver in meters urged into the tubular body 19 by the pair of small rollers 22, an electric pulse is supplied to motor 47 which on rotating will rotate said shaft 49. Assuming that at the start of this movement block 52 bears against one of said spokes 53 adjacent the axis of rotation of shaft 49, as a result and during the rotation of block 52 about the axis of shaft 49 said spoke 53 will be so urged by block 52 as to cause plate 45 to rotate on shaft 44, a slippage of spoke 53 on block 52 occurring during this movement, said spoke moving away from the axis of shaft 49 until the free end of block 52 is cleared of said spoke. Rotation of shaft 49 being continued, the spoke will be acted against by the outer surface of cylindrical wall 51 imparting a further movement to the spoke, during which said spoke will slip on wall 51 and plate 45 continue to rotate on shaft 44 Wall 51 does not extend all about disc 50, but has an aperture as clearly shown in FIG. 6.

When shaft 49 has rotated through about 360, spoke 53 which had been engaged by block 52 at the beginning of rotation, will be urged by wall 51 to a maximum distance from shaft 49, maximum distance as allowed by said wall 51, while the next spoke 53 will enter through the aperture in wall 51 and be positioned at block 52. When shaft 49 has completely rotated through 360, a cam 54 on shaft 49 will operate a switch 55 cutting off the current supply to motor 47 and thus stopping the same. At completion of the rotation of shaft 49 through 360, the end of tubular body 19 fast with plate 45 will be positioned in front of the end of tubular can 42 which is adjacent and situated next to the tubular can previously filled with sliver 17.

The angular rotation of plate 45 is accomplished at a very high speed and during this movement sliver 17 will be broken between one can 42 and the following next can 42. The sliver is drawn continuously from the end of each can 42 opposite the end facing conduit 19, sliver drawing being continuously provided by one or more known machines.

Rotation of plate 45 in the reverse direction to that as controlled by motor 47 is avoided by a detent 56 rotatable on a pin fast with frame 43.

Reference is now made to FIG. 7, showing a vertical cross-section of a second embodiment for apparatus section 3, i.e. the device for continuously twisting sliver 17 and distributing it into cans 42.

Frame 43 carries a hollow shaft 57 freely rotatable about its own axis and supporting a rigid frame 58 having substantially the configuration of an internally hollow drum, six spokes 59 being fast with said drum-like frame 58 and mounted on ball bearings, such spokes being sequentially engaged and angularly displaced about the axis of shaft 57 by a drag member entirely similar to that described in connection with FIG. 6, this drag member having been only schematically shown in FIG. 7, wherein some parts thereof have been indicated by the same reference numerals as used in FIG. 6 and which for sake of simplicity is not again described in detail herein. Still for sake of simplicity, in FIG. 7 the tubular cans and stationary frame for support thereof have been indicated by reference numerals 42 and 43 as previously used.

A first annular body 60 is mounted on rigid frame 58 and freely rotatable on bearings about a stationary axis relatively to frame 58. Annular body 60 is passed through by a circular hole, the axis of which is not coincident with the axis of rotation of body 69 on frame 58, as clearly shown in FIG. 7. A second annular body 61 is mounted in the cavity or hole of body 60 and supported from body 60 by bearings and freely rotatable about an axis as distinguished from the axis of rotation of the first annular body. A third annular body 62 is mounted on second annular body 61 and freely rotatable thereon on bearings about an axis coincident with the axis of rotation of the second annular body on annular body 60.

Second annular body 61 has a bottom wall 63 on which rigid supports 64 are secured for supporting a pair of small rollers 65 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 7), each being fast with an end of a spindle 66, a bevel gearing 67 being fast with the other end thereof, said bevel gearing 67 meshing with a gear ring 68 fast with annular body 62. Supports 64 also carry a shaped body 69 on which a small ring 70 and a funnel 71 are mounted and through which the sliver 17 from carding machine 1 is guided between small rollers 65 and caused to exit therefrom through a hole in bottom wall 63 of annular body 61.

On the outer surface of annular bodies 60, 61 and 62 there are provided ring gears 72, 73 and 74, respectively, on which tooth belts 75, 76 and 77, respectively, are wound, such belts also winding on pulleys 78, 79 and 80, respectively. Pulley 78 is fast with a pulley 81 and keyed on a shaft freely rotatable on a support or bearing fixed to frame 58. Through a tooth belt 82, pulley 81 is connected to a pulley 83 keyed on a shaft '84, on which pulleys 79 and are also keyed, shaft 84 being accommodated within the axial cavity of shaft 57 and connected to a motor (for sake of simplicity not shown in the figure) transmitting a continuous rotary motion to shaft 84.

During apparatus operation, gear rings 72, 73 and 74, and annular bodies 60, 61 and 62 therewith, continuously rotate. Rotation of annular bodies 61 and 62 cause sliver or roving 17 to be twisted in the length between the pair of small rollers 65 and the pair of rollers 16 of the carding machine and also causes small rollers 65 to be rotated on rigid supports 64 and hence a forward drag of sliver 17 which is urged to cans 42 through the hole in bottom wall 63 of annular body 61. The rotation of annular body 60 causes a circular translation for the axes of rotation of annular bodies 61 and 62 about the axis of rotation of annular body 60 and causes, as a result, sliver 17 to be distributed within each can 42 so as to completely fill the cavity of each can.

When one of the cans has been filled with sliver 17, frame '58 is caused to be rotated about shaft '57 by block 52 and cylindrical wall 51 of disc 50.

Since during rotation of annular body 60 on rigid frame 58 the spacing or distance will vary for the axes of rotation of annular bodies 61 and 62 from shaft 84 on which said tooth pulleys 79 and 80 are keyed, tension rollers (for sake of simplicity not shown in FIG. 7) should be effective on tooth belts 76 and 77.

As stated at the beginning of this disclosure, the textile staple fibers are unloaded on supply conveyor belt to be pneumatically drawn therefrom by channels 8. In FIG. 8 there is shown in perspective and partly sectional yiew the detail for the supply conveyor belt and device intended to unload thereon predetermined amounts of textile staple fibers. For a clearer disclosure, the supply conveyor belt has been shown as comprising four conveyor belts designated by reference numerals 85, 86, 87 and 88, respectively, rotatably driven by a motor not shown in the drawing for sake of simplicity. Between the supply conveyor belts there extend parallel vertical walls 6 between which, at the end of each belt, there extends the lower end for each of channels 8, also not shown in the figure for sake of simplicity.

A stationary rigid frame extends above the supply conyeyors belts, one only portion of said frame being shown 1n FIG. 8 at 89. This frame 89 carries rollers 90, 91, 92, 93 and 94 freely rotatable about their own axis, each roller 90, 92 and 94 being connected to the axis of a separate reduction gearing suitable for rotating both clockwise and counterclockwise.

A loading conveyor belt 95 is wound between rollers 90 and 91 and a similar belt 96 is Wound between rollers 92 and 93, these belts being stretched by tension rollers 97 and 9-8, respectively. Two arms 99, freely rotatable about a horizontal axis, are mounted on frame 89, these arms supporting a roller 100 freely rotatableabout its own axis and such that said roller 100 abuts belt 95 at roller 91. Said frame 89 further carries two arms 101, also rotatable a horizontal axis, and supporting a grooved roller 102 freely rotatable about its own axis on said arms 101 and extending adjacent said roller 94.

Above the loading conveyor belt 95 there is provided the discharge opening for a balance loading apparatus 103 of a known type (and hence not described in detail herein) and suitable to unload predetermined amounts of textile staple fibers on said belt.

In order to explain the operation of the device shown in FIG. 8, reference will now be made to FIGS. 9-12, wherein said device is schematically shown at different operative steps.

During apparatus operation, when the balance loading apparatus unloads a metered amount of textile staple fibers onto loading conveyor belt 95, should roller 90 be clockwise rotated (as seen in FIGS. 9-12) by its own motor, the textile fibers would be conveyed and unloaded on supply conveyor belt 85 by passing beneath roller 100 moving away from the belt by rotating on its arm 99, that is, loading would occur as shown in FIG. 9.

At the instant the balance loading apparatus effects a subsequent unloading operation of textile staple fibers on belt 95, roller 90 will be counterclockwise rotated by its motor and in turn roller 92 will be clockwise rotated (FIG. 10), in this instance the textile fibers being loadedon belt 86.

In order to load textile fibers on belt 87 (FIG. 11), rollers 90 and 92 will both counterclockwise rotate, while roller 94 will clockwise rotate.

in a wholly similar manner, loading of textile fibers on belt 88 is effected by imparting a counterclockwise rotary motion to rollers 90, 92 and 94, that is as shown in FIG. 12.

It will thus be seen that with the structure described above, the apparatus for converting textile staple fiber into carded sliver and feeding the sliver into cans includes the carding machine 1, the supply conveyor belt means 5, which may have the construction of the separate belts 85-88 shown in FIG. 8, and the loading means, such as ends distant from the conveyor means 5. The pairs of suction rollers 9 respectively coact with the discharge ends of the suction channels 8 to receive the fibers therefrom and to continue the transportation of the fibers toward the machine 1. The suction conduit means 11 creates a stream of suction air flowing along the channels 8 from the conveyor belt means 5 toward the suction rollers 9. The conduits 15 form a transfer means coacting with the suction rollers 9 for transferring the fibers therefrom to the carding machine 1 in the form of a continuous web discharging from the rollers 9 toward the machine 1. The structure shown in FIGS. 4-7 forms a twisting and distributing means for continuously twisting the sliver as it discharges from the carding machine and selectively distributing it to the horizontal tubular cans 42.

What I claim is:

1. In an apparatus for converting textile staple fibers into carded sliver and for feeding the sliver into cans, a carding machine, supply conveyor belt means for conveying the staple fibers, loading means for loading given amounts of textile staple fibers onto said belt means to be conveyed thereby, a plurality of suction channels respectively having inlet ends adjacent said belt means to receive the transported fibers therefrom and discharge ends distant from said belt means, a plurality of pairs of suction rollers respectively situated at said discharge ends of said suction channels for receiving the fibers therefrom, suction conduit means for creating a flow of suction air in said channels from said belt means toward said rollers for carrying the fibers along said channels to said rollers to be further conveyed by the latter toward the carding machine, transfer means connecting said pairs of rollers with said carding machine for continuously transferring a web of textile fibers discharging from said pairs of rollers to the carding machine, a plurality of substantially horizontal tubular cans, and twisting and distributing means for continuously twisting sliver discharging from the carding machine and for selectively distributing the twisted fiber to said cans.

2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein each of said suction rollers includes a cylindrical wall formed with openings passing therethrough, and said suction conduit means communicating through said openings with the interior of the cylindrical wall of said rollers to create therethrough the stream of suction air flowing along said channels.

3. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said twisting and distributing means includes a pair of sliver-twisting rollers, a distributing tube having a receiving end aligned with said twisting rollers for receiving the sliver therefrom, said distributing tube having a discharge end distant from said twisting rollers to be selectively situated in alignment with said tubular cans, means for imparting a circular motion to said twisting rollers, said distributing tube having an inner diameter equal at least to the diameter of the circle travelled by said twisting rollers during the circular movement thereof so that the receiving end of said distributing tube remains at all times in communication with the sliver issuing from the twisting rollers.

4. The combination of claim 3 and wherein the means for imparting the circular movement to the twisting rollers and a means for driving the twisting rollers include a stationary frame structure, a first gear supported for rotation about its axis by said stationary frame structure and carrying a rotary frame structure which rotates with said first gear, said rotary frame structure carrying said twisting rollers, a second gear coaxial with the first gear and carried by the stationary frame structure so as to remain stationary, a transmission carried by said rotary frame structure, meshing with the teeth of the stationary second gear and operatively connected with the twisting rollers for driving the latter during rotary movement of the first gear together with the twisting rollers, transmission, and rotary frame structure, all with respect to the stationary second gear, and a driving gear meshing with said first gear for rotating the latter about its axis.

-5. The combination of claim 4 and wherein a crossmember is supported for swinging movement by said stationary frame structure and has opposed ends between which said cross-member carries said receiving end of said distributing tube, said cross-member carrying a pair of pins respectively situated at the ends of said cross-member and a pair of slides operatively connected with said pins and being freely rotatable about the axes of said pins, and a pair of guides coacting with said slides for guiding the latter for sliding movement to impart to said cross-member an oscillatory swinging movement providing for uniform distribution of the sliver within the distributing tube at the receiving end thereof as the sliver issues from said twisting rollers.

6. The combination of claim 4 and wherein said cans are distributed uniformly along a circle, said distributing means including a rotary support carrying the discharge end of said distributing tube for displacing the discharge end of the latter along the circle along which the cans are arranged, spokes fixed with said rotary support, a drag member for sequentially coacting with said spokes, and a motor operatively connected with said drag member for driving the latter, said drag member coacting sequentially with said spokes for sequentially turning said rotary support and said discharge end of said distributing tube therewith through angular increments successively situating said distributing tube in alignment with the several cans.

7. The combination of claim 1 and wherein the twisting and distributing means includes a pair of twisting rollers for twisting the sliver issuing from the carding machine, a drive connected to said rollers for driving the latter, and means for displacing the rollers in a plane.

8. The combination of claim 7 and wherein a rigid frame and a first annular body are provided with the latter body supported for rotary movement on the rigid frame about a stationary axis, a second annular body supported by the first annular body and freely rotatable thereon about an axis spaced from the axis of rotation of the first body, and a third annular body carried by the second body and freely rotatable with respect thereto about an axis coinciding with the turning axis of the second body, said twisting rollers being carried by said 10 second body, a gear transmission transmitting rotary movement of said third body to said twisting rollers, and three driving belts and pulleys operatively connected with said three annular bodies for rotating the latter, said twisting rollers being situated in alignment with one of said cans for delivering the twisted sliver thereto.

9. The combination of claim 8 and wherein said belts are toothed belts and said first, second and third bodies respectively have toothed portions meshing with said toothed belts.

10. The combination of claim 7 and wherein said twisting and distributing means further includes a means for turning the twisting rollers sequentially through equal angular increments of a circle, said can being angularly spaced from each other through said increments of said circle to become sequentially aligned with said twisting rollers to receive the sliver sequentially therefrom.

11. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said conveyor belt means includes a plurality of conveyor belts and a plurality of vertical dividing walls extending parallel to each other and separating the conveyor belts, said loading means selectively unloading predetermined amounts of fibers onto the several belts into the spaces between the walls, said inlet ends of said channels respectively communicating with said spaces between said walls to receive the fibers conveyed along said spaces by said belts.

12. The combination of claim 11 and wherein said loading means includes a plurality of loading belts extending transversely of said belts of said conveyor belt means and having ends situated over the latter belts, said loading belts overlapping each other for delivering the fibers to selected belts of said conveyor belt means depending upon the direction of movement of said loading belts.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,029,477 4/ 1962 Wildbolz et al. 19-l59X 3,145,426 8/1964 Hijiya et al. 19105 3,345,702 10/1967 Miedler et a1 19.159

FOREIGN PATENTS 886,397 1/ 1962 Great Britain 19105 973,662 10/ 1964 Great Britain 19105 464,746 12/ 1968 Switzerland 19105 DORSEY NEWTON, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 19--l05 

